Shallot

The glories of summer are captured in this pale green egg salad redolent of fresh basil, green onions, and crunchy cucumbers. Serve it surrounded by greens or tucked into pita loaves or slices of crusty bread for a satisfying lunch.

These tasty steaks are served on a bed of spinach, which earns them their name. Both round and butt steaks are full of flavor, and they are so well appreciated all across America that we think of them as "American cuts." They are chewier than sirloin or tenderloin but full of great beef flavor. If you can find prime beef, buy it, but choice will do just fine here.

Enhance eggs with spinach, which has mounds of magnesium, a mineral that helps keep blood pressure steady.

"Finish with gremolata and boiled peanuts." How often have you heard that phrase? Or, for that matter, the words "boiled-peanut beurre blanc"? Such is the beauty of melding Southern and French techniques. And who better to teach us a thing or two about fresh takes on Southern food than a Canadian, happily assimilated in Georgia? Hugh Acheson says that any medium-bodied fish will work with the sauce. We believe it to be delicious with flounder.

This is a Web-exclusive recipe for Epicurious from Chef Robert Harrison of Mills Tavern in Providence, Rhode Island. It's a great dish to make any day of the year, and perfect for a Super Bowl gathering or any party. If you don't have time to make quince jam, or can't find quince, you can substitute any fruit chutney.

This is a light and very easy vinaigrette. I recommend serving it with any salad on which you'd like to use a flavorful but light dressing.

In case you shy away from the pork-fat dressing of the classic frisee, you can always turn to this lighter, but equally delicious version, which substitutes crackling salmon skin for the lardons. Broiled salmon skin is a sushi bar staple, and the ginger in this dish echoes that connection. And further interest is provided by a very sympathetic dose of sherry vinegar. A multi-culti triumph!

Navarre adds hard-boiled eggs to his version of this classic green French sauce, good on anything from fish and cold meats to grilled foods.

A green salad dressed with tangy red wine vinaigrette is the perfect accompaniment to this rich cheese custard tart from Le Temps des Vendanges.

There are a thousand and one recipes for this easy staple of outdoor cooking, and it feels like I've tried all of them. But none quite match up to this one. After you've charred the peppers on the grill, you just pop them in a resealable plastic bag until you can slide the skins right off. Then you submerge them in a mixture of olive oil, vinegar, and garlic until they pick up a bit of tang. These will last a week in the fridge, but I bet you'll finish them before then.

I love coming home with friends from a steamy day at the beach knowing that I've got a batch of cold tomato soup ready. I dish it up, swirl in a tablespoon of vibrant green arugula pesto, and pass it around. We sit on the porch and savor the flavor of sun-sweetened summer tomatoes enhanced with a touch of cream and a nip of vodka. The rest of dinner will come later, but for now, we're assuaging our hunger, chatting, laughing, and reliving the events of the day. This is a great make-ahead soup. In fact, it becomes more flavorful with age. Although I like it cold, it's equally good heated. If storm clouds gather and the temperature plunges, take the soup from refrigerator to stove, heat it up, and serve it in mugs.

Green peppercorns (left over from Chicken Spice Rub ) subtly transform the classic combination of mussels steamed with butter, shallots, and wine by adding a bright, floral fragrance. Pluck the mussels from the pot as they open and then enrich the cooking liquid with cream.

These addictive and deeply flavored ribs make a great starter as part of a larger Thai meal, or they can be served as a main course accompanied by jasmine rice and a sautéed or braised leafy or bitter green vegetable. On the other hand, they make a terrific snack to go along with a cold beer.

The fact that Algeria shares culinary traditions with Spain, Italy, and France is evident in many of its dishes, like this skabetch (which is quite similar in spirit to Spanish escabeche). The shrimp is pickled in a gently tangy spice mixture for a subtle play of flavors. Charmoula refers to the North African combination of ingredients in the marinade—though every country, town, and even family that makes charmoula creates its own special blend.

This salsa verde, which balances a meal full of spiced dishes, would also complement anything from grilled steak to steamed vegetables.

Roasting already-roasted cashews seems counterintuitive, but it deepens their rich flavor as the green beans cook alongside.

Editor's note: Oysters Bienville is usually served as an appetizer. Created at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans, it is also found on many menus throughout the city and there are several versions. This one by the late Leon E. Soniat, Jr., is easy to prepare and quite authentic.

Gael Greene shared these recipes with Epicurious from her new book, Insatiable. To learn more about Greene, read our Q&A. This is a recipe from my young bride days, before cholesterol was a health concern. But I believe holidays are the perfect excuse for excess. If you serve sixteen with this recipe, you'll feel half as guilty. I did four of these for Craig Claiborne's riotous sixty-seventh birthday party, where so many great chefs cooked that few guests even noticed my effort.

The rich, intense flavor base of this traditional Malaysian dish comes from the rempah, or curry paste, that is made from scratch and infused into the oil before cooking the remaining ingredients. This recipe uses whole chickens that have been broken down into 10 pieces (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 4 breast pieces each). If you're not comfortable cutting up a chicken yourself, you can ask your butcher to do it or buy chicken pieces.

Mayonnaise with lemon and thyme gives both extra freshness and a golden-brown crust to delicate, slightly sweet pollock.

In this marriage of give and take, shallot-dill butter makes jumbo shrimp taste as sweet as langoustines. In return, the shrimp impart their juices to the butter as they bake, creating a silky sauce. With toasted brioche in hand, you’ll want to sop up every last drop.

Yukon Golds go creamy and crusty at the same time when roasted with caramelized shallots. Although salt and pepper are all this dish needs, a spoonful of gravy on top is certainly welcome.